After keeping their workers and voters in suspense, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Sunday finally tied the knot to contest the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Assembly polls together.
After keeping their workers and voters in suspense, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Sunday finally tied the knot to contest the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Assembly polls together.
At a joint press conference here, leaders of the two parties said that the SP will contest 298 of the 403 seats and the Congress the remaining 105. "SP and Congress have forged an alliance and will contest UP assembly polls together," SP state president Naresh Uttam told the media briefing.
Carefully reading from a written script, both Uttam and Congress state president Raj Babbar said that the alliance was forged to keep the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) away, and for the state's overall development.
Talks between Congress and SP leaders had been going on for the last several days, but the announcement was delayed as the two refused to scale down their demands. Sources said that the breakthrough came about after Congress president Sonia Gandhi's intervention. They said that the top leaders of both the parties finalised the seat-sharing arrangement in the wee hours on Sunday.
"Our national president and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has informed me that the SP and the Congress will contest the 2017 assembly election jointly," Uttam said. He added that the party was committed to the sovereignty of the nation and would carry forward its struggle for it under the leadership of Yadav.
Uttam appealed to all leaders and workers of SP to ensure a huge victory to the alliance, so that Yadav could again become the Chief Minister and strengthen the nation by taking the state forward. Raj Babbar blamed the circumstances in the country and the state, which created a need for this alliance. He said that the Congress, 'under the able leadership of Rahul Gandhi', made this decision, considering the welfare of the people, and the wishes and sentiments of intellectuals and like-minded people.
"SP and Congress are ready for a pre-election alliance to eradicate the BJP's communal and divisive politics," said Babbar. He said both parties would work for the welfare of all sections of society and the overall development of the state. Babbar also emphasised that the base of the alliance was the work done by Yadav. "If we are able to win the trust of the people, we will present a joint agenda within one week of winning," said Babbar.
Prospects of an alliance between the two parties had hit a roadblock, with both parties hardening their stance over the number of seats. At one stage, senior SP leader Naresh Agarwal had even said that the possibility of an alliance was "almost over", and blamed the "stubborn" attitude of the Congress.
SP had then argued that it has 234 sitting legislators and there were some others who would also contest. Thus, the ruling party needed at least 300 seats. But, the Congress leaders informed the SP that, in such a scenario, there cannot be an alliance.
In fact, the Congress's central election committee met in Delhi and finalised the candidates for 140 constituencies, which will go to polls in the first two phases. The party, however, did not announce its candidates, leaving a window for a possible alliance, for which talks were held till the wee hours of Sunday.
The Congress was also learnt to have been demanding Assembly seats in the Amethi and Raebareli Lok Sabha segments, represented by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. It was not immediately known to what extent the SP had accommodated the Congress's demand. The Congress was also keen to include the Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal in the alliance, which the SP did not want.
(With inputs from Delhi Bureau)
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 "SP leaders Kiranmoy Nanda and Naresh Utam with Congress leader Raj Babbar")
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